U.S. Players With the Most to Gain in the Gold Cup

Alexi Lalas

Soccer Analyst

The 26 players representing the United States at the Gold Cup this summer aren’t just competing for the highest honor in Concacaf — they’re making a case for a spot on Mauricio Pochettino’s roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil next summer.

With a handful of U.S. regulars absent for this tournament, opportunity knocks for players across practically every position. Here are the ones with the most to gain as the U.S. enters the knockout stage of the tournament:

If you had asked Tim Ream a year or two ago if he’d still be on the team in 2026, not a chance. And yet, this is where we stand today.

Diego Luna brings a ton of personality to the team. He’s not just talented, but he’s kind of this encapsulation of what Mauricio Pochettino wants and it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if he’s involved next summer.

There is a competition when it comes to the goalkeepers is in it. The U.S. have not conceded a goal in the last two matches after conceding six goals in the previous two.

Serigno Dest is going to be the start on that right hand side, but what if he’s not ready like he wasn’t this summer? It’s going to be interesting to see how Freeman stacks up against Joe Scally and the others.

The striker position is an evergreen problem for this team. They do not have somebody up to that they can go to on a consistent basis to put the ball in the net. Can you imagine if Patrick Agyemang is the starter for the U.S. at the World Cup in 2026? Anything can happen.

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